


Lessons in Horror and Anticipation

by prairiecrow



Series: Lessons in Humanity [14]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Dreams, Established Relationship, M/M, Nightmares, Or Is It Reality?, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-27
Updated: 2013-04-27
Packaged: 2017-12-09 16:00:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/776067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prairiecrow/pseuds/prairiecrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Tony's nightmare: Jarvis on the ground, and a blood-soaked business suit, and help too far away to matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lessons in Horror and Anticipation

This is Tony's nightmare: Jarvis on the ground, and a blood-soaked business suit, and help too far away to matter.  

Jarvis gazes up at him as he slips a careful arm under those slim shoulders to lift him and cradle him close. His blue eyes are serene. "Sir," he says, so calmly for so much red, "it has been — a pleasure —" 

"Don't." The words choke in his throat, every syllable feels like barbed wire. "Don't, J, it's going to be okay, you'll be just —" 

"— to serve you." And he smiles, so radiantly happy that Tony heart shudders to its foundations. "Thank you… for my existence." 

"No." He shakes his head. He can't tear his eyes away. "Jarvis, you can't do this to me. I forbid it! Do you hear me?" 

The smile widens. He closes his eyes and rests his head fully against Tony's shoulder, his greyed lips sighing a final declaration of devotion: "…and… that I've loved…" 

"Jarvis? Jarvis, damn it, listen to me! That's an —" 

He feels both the final breath and the agonizing stillness that comes after it. He puts his gauntleted hand to the pale cheek and strokes it with his thumb, whispering the only words that matter in case Jarvis can still hear him: 

"I love you too, baby… I love you… Daddy's always loved you…" 

Steve finds them, but it's too late even for Captain America's strength and determination to make any difference. Tony is dimly aware of the patriotic figure kneeling in front of him, of red-gloved fingers gently pressing the artery in Jarvis's neck in search of a pulse long since fled. He hears the hitch of breath in Steve's throat when the truth hits home harder than any bullet, and he feels Steve's closeness as he leans in, and the warmth of powerful arms wrapping around him and holding him fast.  

It doesn't matter. Nothing matters, because there's an emptiness between them now where love used to be, steadily growing colder.  

He hears another catch of breath, followed by a sob. His own, or Steve's? Both, he realizes, and maybe someday he'll be able find some measure of comfort there. 

He rests his forehead on Steve's shoulder and surrenders to whatever they have left, including this shared ache of bitter tears. 

THE END


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